US OPEN

September 9, 2023

Katherine Hui

Press Conference

K. HUI/T. Valentova

6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations. 6-4, 6-4, hour and 43 minutes, two contested sets. Championship. Your thoughts.

KATHERINE HUI: Honestly, I don't think it's really hit me yet. I think I was really out there just to enjoy the moment.

It was my last junior tournament, so I really wanted to make the best of it. I knew she was going to come out and fight, and I knew that I was capable of it as long as I trusted myself.

I think I fought really well. I'm really proud of the way I played.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. You played so well to get up 6-4, 5-1. Did the nerves start to creep in there or what happened there as she got closer and closer?

KATHERINE HUI: I think I did get some nerves. Obviously I have never been in the final of a junior slam, and this is my second junior slam. It was a little bit of that, and I think she did step up and I give her a lot of credit for it. I think she started playing really freely.

But I think I handled it well, and I was able to pull it out at the end by staying solid.

Q. Congratulations. A great win. You have been saying all along that they were taken aback by your taking the ball early and hitting very deep and that sort of thing.

Did you feel that she handled that pretty well? Did she dictate some of the points, as well?

KATHERINE HUI: Yeah, I think she plays with a lot more power than some of my past opponents, so it was harder for me to step in. I think she was dealing with it well, and I think she knew what to expect.

But I adjusted my strategy a little bit going down 2-4 and tried to open up the court a little more and kind of dictate on my own terms. I think that worked out really well.

Q. I was wondering how it feels to be one of two teenage American US Open winners tonight. (Laughter.)

A. I was cheering Coco on, but when I went on, I think she was 3-0 in the third. I didn't know what happened after, but I heard some really loud roars come across, so I just assumed she won. Yeah, it just got louder and louder. I heard a cheer and I thought she had won and then an even louder one.

She's obviously such a big inspiration to me. I never met her or anything, but, I mean, just being that young and accomplishing so much with so much probably pressure is amazing.

It feels really great to obviously win this.

Q. You got to play a round in the women's draw. Did you take any lessons from playing that match into the juniors? What have you learned from it?

KATHERINE HUI: Yeah, so I played Genie Bouchard first round of quallies, and I think I honestly dedicate a lot of this win to her (smiling).

I had learned a lot. I was very discouraged from that match just because I felt like I had too much expectations and put too much expectations on results and wasn't able to execute my game.

Obviously she takes balls early and steps in and was hitting really deep. I kind of took inspiration to that, and I have been here since then practicing on-site.

So these last two weeks I have just been really working. I think a little bit of my anger fueled the motivation during practice (smiling).

It really helped me, and I'm really glad that I was able to execute it this time.

Q. You had a bit of a long day yesterday, three different kinds of weather, I think.

KATHERINE HUI: Yeah (smiling).

Q. How was recovering from that, and was today just a little bit easier, not having to spend however long you spent to play one tennis match?

KATHERINE HUI: I've been pretty flexible this whole tournament, so it didn't faze me too much. I think the rain delay or everything delay yesterday actually helped a little bit with my nerves. I just took some time to slow down and it kind of helped me to go into the match more freely.

Yeah, today I wasn't expecting a weather delay, but it happened. So I took a nap. Yeah, I just kind of relaxed until then. But I think I have been doing a good job just with my routines before that match to get me ready.

Q. From that Genie match to this whole two weeks, can you describe the whole fortnight and your perspective? What's been the best message that you've received so far of you winning this junior slam title and all the help you got from Emily [ph.] to many others throughout the whole tournament?

KATHERINE HUI: There is so much to say about that. I think my teammates at Stanford have been such a big inspiration and so supportive of me. They've come out to watch and texted me before and after every match. That's been really helpful.

Most of all, my family. My dad said during my first-round match I was super nervous, and I was, like, shaking before I served. There was, like, a moment in the changeover where I found a little fan, and I thought it was so cool. I was, like, showing him the fan.

He thought, he was, like, That was the highlight of the tournament. Even if you win it all, I think that was the best moment. I think, I mean, just thinking about that, I'm so appreciative of all my family's support. I think they mean the most to me.

Q. You have talked about focusing on tennis and not doing all the New York stuff and not getting too ahead of yourself. Now that you have won, how are you going to celebration here in New York?

KATHERINE HUI: I'm not sure, because our plane ticket was supposed to be tonight. We had to move it to tomorrow, but I'm hoping on playing the San Diego Open. I was going to try to play qualifying with a wildcard, but obviously that didn't work out.

We'll see. I'm going to go straight home and then I go to college in a week. But I wish I could go shopping here in Times Square.

Q. Does this title change your expectations for college at all?

KATHERINE HUI: I think it just gives me a lot of confidence, because I knew that I was capable of it, and obviously not playing a lot of ITFs and having a year of injury during that important time to travel and play was a little bit offsetting.

So I think it gives me confidence going into college, and I know the competition is strong and there is a lot more players deciding to go that route.

But I think I just believe in my game more. I mean, I always have. I think it just kind of proves it, which I'm really happy about.